Stronger Together: The United States and International Organizations

About the Author: James Warlick serves as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs.

It’s a particularly exciting time at the Department of State, with the wave of energy and initiative brought by a new Administration, a new Secretary of State, and a new Ambassador to the UN.

In the Bureau of International Organization Affairs, we’ve been working closely with Secretary Clinton and her new team, including Ambassador Susan Rice, to emphasize America’s commitment to multilateral diplomacy and revitalizing American leadership at the United Nations.

That’s one of the reasons why, on Friday, I took a quick trip to Paris to meet with my counterparts from the other two members of the so-called P3, France and the United Kingdom. Like the United States, France and the U.K. are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (thus the P in P3), and we share with them and the other Security Council members the weighty responsibility of addressing challenges of international peace and security.

While in Paris, I had productive discussions on a number of pressing concerns, including piracy and lawlessness in Somalia, violence in the Sudan and continuing concern about Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities. We also discussed ways that we could make more effective UN efforts regarding peacekeeping and human rights.

There are many issues before us, but with the collective efforts of our many partners, the United States and the United Nations can help advance our shared goals of eliminating poverty, disease and hunger, protecting the environment, and furthering democracy and respect for human rights. In addition, we look forward to strengthening ties to regional groups, the Non-aligned Movement, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and others.

Comments

Comments

Terry

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Connecticut, USA

February 9, 2009

Terry in Connecticut writes:

I agree totally this is a new and exciting time for great diplomacy and new vision on foriegn policy. For 8 long years we had cowboy and reckless policies. New management in town to correct the wrongs!

Syrian P.

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Syria

February 9, 2009

SNP in Syria writes:

Partners in Crimes against Humanity, one fabricates cause belli for wars the other ratifies it and passes resolutions under chapter Seven, wars and more wars. Who will defend the helpless nations and the rights of the oppressed people? Lucky for this partnership, Irans Ayatollahs are begging Larjani to joint it.

Zharkov

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United States

February 9, 2009

Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:

I think it is time to experiment with citizen diplomacy, where ordinary citizens talk to each other as well as officials from their own governments over the internet and discuss their national problems and how to solve them.

The idea that only governments can solve international problems certainly has not prevented any wars and it is the ordinary citizens who die as a result of diplomatic error.

As long as governments get us killed or maimed for life, we may as well have our say about it.

Let's ask President Assad to post his e-mail address or open a public forum for Syrians and other people to post their views?

Why not ask DPRK president Kim to open North Korea to the internet and open a presidential blog or forum for public input? No doubt President Kim loves the internet as much as anyone, and he may benefit from opinions of people in his country as well as people elsewhere. Why not let the propaganda freely flow both directions as it does in America?

Donald

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Virginia, USA

February 10, 2009

Donald in Virginia writes:

Now I see why we had so many problems during the 9/11 attacks. When you call the FAA hotline or the NTSB you reach an automated service. No wonder we have issues in the United States when our top agencies have computers that answer you calls instead of real people.

I spoke to someone at the NTSB earlier this morning regarding some of my future ideas that can help with Helicopter and Plane safety for all people who fly in them. He directed to crash investigation. After talking to the nice lady she couldn't be of help, so she sent me to the FAA which only resulted in a computer automated voice messenging system.

We need to get out of the automated voice messaging and into talking to real people when dealing with real issues. The FAA AND NTSB should also consider having a Safety Blog that would allow people to chat and write their ideas that might help save lives!

We rely far to much already on computers. What people might not realize and I will be glad to point them out. Years ago I did some reading of the Arab news from Libya. Found out some interesting details. If you read what Libya was really up to regarding computers, it could raise some "Eyebrows." My suggestion to this new Administration is go back and read the news and see what your eyes see. I would call it but will leave it to you to figure out.

Eric

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New Mexico, USA

February 10, 2009

Eric in New Mexico writes:

"[T]he great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. The provision for defence must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions." ([1788] n.d., 337)

-James Madison , The Federalist No. 51

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Congratulations on your selection for appointment sir.

Seems to me that the above text states clearly the very premis for the UN's existance. If that be sound premis;

When it states "The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place."

How do you view the UN charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a binding, enforcible document upon member nations of the UN?

I don't do Facebook, so I hope you'll take my question as it stands here.

Best,
EJ

Donald

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Virginia, USA

February 10, 2009

Donald in Virginia writes:

10 Feb 09

You know things are bad with the economy when the whole country of Iceland goes into Bankrupcy. How many other countries around the world face the same problems.

The United States needs to end NAFTA and start Manufacturing once again. We should also be putting strict guidelines on Vehicle Manufactures to produce it's product in the United States. How many of the existing car plants are located overseas, putting other people in jobs. Then the problem in China is simple. General Motors made a deal in that country to produce vehicles in China, so why would they buy American General Motors Cars from the United States in future? The business people have sold this country out the door?

The only true way to get our currency out of the situation its in today is simple. We need to have GOLD backup our money. Right now Washington continues printing paper money and it's inflated. We have to go back to using a system that makes our money worth something again.

Otherwise countries will also figure it out. When that happens we will only be inflated higher, and you still didn't solve the number ONE problem in the country. Which is CREDIT. There should be NO Credit. People in the United States if payed proper for the jobs they do, should have the money they need to pay for vehicles or homes. Not get hooked on credit cards, or credit bills.

Best Regards,

Donald

Zharkov

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United States

February 10, 2009

Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:

Donald in Virginia raises excellent points but the argument assumes that the federal government is concerned about the economic situation in America.

While most people working in Washington are worried about our economy, a small but powerful group in our government simply do not want to allow this crisis to "go to waste" and are using it to advance a global agenda. If the highest officials in our government wanted to save America from destruction, they would quickly follow your advice.

The economic collapse was deliberately engineered to further an agenda, nothing else. There was no accidental mistake here. As with the Patriot Act being prepared years in advance of 9/11, this economic collapse took years to set up.

Any first year economics student could instantly see that offering generous home loans to a population whose job base was shrinking would eventually lead to massive default by private citizens. This was government policy, a policy deliberately executed during the largest emigration of corporate production in American history.

Leveraging such worthless paper made the situation worse, and the bankers knew it, and now we are going into deeper debt as a nation to try to resolve problems originally caused by too much debt and too few jobs. The purpose is to destroy our economy so that we beg for relief in any form -- even global dictatorship -- if that would relieve the horror that has only just begun in America.

All we need to do to reverse the collapse is to reverse the incentives to relocate jobs overseas and reverse our tax policies which discourage self-employment. If more small businesses were created and corporations moved factories back to America, the collapse could disappear quickly.

The obvious solutions will not happen because that is not the primary goal of our "leaders". The goal is control, expansion of government power, and eventually total domination. You can't get there if people have any power to resist, and in this battle, money is power. So the less money you have, the better off they are because they can print whatever sums they need, and you can't.

Donald

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Virginia, USA

February 11, 2009

Donald in Virginia writes:

Thank-you Zharkov in U.S.A.

MAN VS NATURE (GLOBAL WARMING) 2012 the Year PROPHECIES

God created the earth, we all can agree to this. Then we all should know the instruments he uses when disasters happen. Why does California have more fires than any other State in the Union? Makes you wonder for a minute? Is it possible that God does not approve of some things that happen in that State? The Federal Government should take a good look into that state.

Louisiana or even the Southern States having problems with Hurricanes? Once again, think about this a little deeper. God has his own method of dealing with situations. Just like in todays age, "Were in the times where man can destroy the world" there are far too many Nuclear Weapons, and in the wrong hands, can be very deadly and disasterous.

The Christians who read their bibles know exactly what I'm talking about. It has alreay been written.

You could spend 100 Trillion dollars on Global Warming, and God can bring upon this EARTH one Giant Earthquake and all is lost in the end. So Go for it... Spend the Trillions of dollars for a cause that may or may not happen.

2012 the Year PROPHECIES

There is many talks about these prophecies unfolding in the year of 2012. We should think about it, have a plan in case something happens, but all in all use common sense and above all if we start making the right changes today, the future will be better for our kids. We all were suprised to find out when the Y2K didn't have the impact people thought it would, and companies spend thousands of dollars preparing, hiring consultants and it really wasn't needed in the end.

Best Regards,
Donald

Syrian P.

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Syria

February 10, 2009

SNP in Syria writes:

@ Zharkov in U.S.A. -- You cannot endlessly pay your debt with borrowed money with interest, but that is what the U.S. Government been doing for years. This new Trillion and a half of debt will cover the U.S. economy for couple of months, they will need additional Trillion by April and much more thereafter, it is hopeless. Once Dow breaks 7800 mark, we are in no man land going south to 6200, break that and Asti Lavista, back to 1998 levels. Not even 3 trillions more will help, because the people simply lost too much net worth and equities in stocks, investment, Real Estate, etc., they are drowning in debt, just like the governments. The majority consumers will not be able to reinvigorate the economy because they simply have no purchasing power. The 2-5 percentages of rich and well off segment of societies already own everything .Basically you have to approve a Trillion Dollar of funny money every 60-90 days for years until someone(s) start throw in the towels.

I guess no one interested in this remarkable U.N. International stuff in this blog post, and who should when your State Government is starting to furlough you, unpaid Fridays off because there is no cash for salaries.

It is time to save some cash and cut the U.N. budget off, totally, use the cash for worthy cause, like shelters for the homeless you see under freeway passes. Auction those antique desks and lease the building for some organization that can do something about the state of the world. But then, you will have all those diplomats to employ, Burger King H.R said they are not qualified for anything,

Here is an idea, cut the U.N. budget off and pay the cash to all the NGOs, kick the do nothing Diplomats off the building and give free office space for NGO to run their worthy causes.

John

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Greece

February 11, 2009

John in Greece writes:

@ SNP in Syria -- If all the others -- like Syria -- do not pay their national debts to an "American banking mechanism" that creates false U.S.A. debt image, how can America present the true "Excel"?

Do you know that 75-80% of the planet lives due to the American money? Everybody owes money -- among other things and ideas -- to the United States of America, but they don't pay their debts. And you cannot make wars everywhere to take your money back. America is not Mafia. After all, this is another proof that U.S.A. is not an Empire and it does not intend to become one. However, where is the money? How do you expect to have a real view of the situation, when the accounting is virtual?

Bring me the U.S. worldwide money back and I'll show you if America has a debt. So, until then, I think that U.S.A. is still the richest country/continent on the planet without even counting:

Reserves
Energy
Oil
Gas
Gold
Technology
Space
Medicine
Culture
The best workers in the world
Etc.

And all of the above, are pure and absolutely virgin, ready to use if the going gets tough. And America has every right to print as much money as she thinks that the "real Excel" allows. Do you know that U.S. technology is 40 years ahead from today? Do you think that -- soon -- this is something that will not get "paid back" in cash? What about medicine and technology? This is money too. Have you detracted these parameters from the value of the virtual debt?

And all the above are not yet in a financial "DEFCON4". Imagine what the real financial image will be with just a "DEFCON3"!

Last I looked it up. The U.S. Government / Treasury own 750 Billion Dollars that is all. Logon to the Treasury Dept website and you will get all the latest appalling numbers. You will not find M3 numbers, the real numbers of funny money printed by the privately owned Federal Reserve Bank thus far. It is known that the printing presses at the Fed are running non stop day and night and what they creating is not really money, it is indebtness that is devaluating the whole currency and the nation wealth

Should as you requested foreign countries stop using the U.S. Dollar, the value of this currency will drop to Ten cents on the Dollar in one day. It will be Ten Dollars equal One EUR.

Now, back to that 750 billion in cash, keep that in mind for now and think how the officially stated U.S. Public debt of over 10 trillions is going to be paid up, ( unofficially we estimate it to be close to 20-30 trillions of funny money some minted legally and some by mobs all over the world. How all the upcoming added debt of Trillions that is being passed by Congress is going to be paid up and by whom?

Finally, you can not ask the world to give you back your Dollars because they are not U.S. Property. They were used as exchange medium; few hundred millions in East Asia slaved for generations to accumulate those Dollars that they received in exchange for those goods you enjoyed. In the Middle East, they give you oil in exchange for your U.S. Dollars. So the only way to get those dollars back is to exchange them back, give the world the oil and goods back in brand new condition and they will give you your stinky worthless Dollars back. There are other ways to make this deal too, trashes the Dollar to the point those holding it will scream and dump it for you like hot potato, or bomb them till they do that, and that is the strategy the real owner of those Dollar bills is carrying out since Sep11.

You see John, you, the American do not own your currency the Dollar, and neither the Government, it is the Federal Reserve that own it and it is a Privately held bank owned by Seven Jewish Khazzars. You need to go to your Congressman and see if he will share some little secret with you about a transaction done years ago between Congress and the Federal Reserve. Very few Americans know about it, even many Congressmen never heard of it.

Zharkov

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United States

February 13, 2009

Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:

America is devolving.

Midwest Factories are empty, rusting buildings.

Detroit resembles Iraq, only without any hope for the future.

This is called a "New World Order".

The total loss of wealth so far in the quadrillions.

Nobody knows for certain how many quadrillion dollars it might be, because the public sector collapse is only beginning and will eventually add to the losses.

The U.N. budget is lunch money compared with the tidal wave of money leaving the United States.

It's all for nothing in the end.

There will be no global government, only global poverty.

John

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Georgia, USA

February 19, 2009

John in Georgia writes:

Last year it was the jailing of two American pilots who after almost 2 years were finally released by Brazilian authorities!